1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for transporting disabled motor vehicles and more particularly, to a tiltable tray-type trailer for transporting disabled automobiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various means of towing, trailering, or moving disabled or inoperative automobiles have been employed. Typical of these are tow trucks or "wreckers" which utilize a hook or cradle attached to a boom on the truck and secured to the automobile's undercarriage to lift one end of the automobile off of the road. Such towing means can damage the towed automobile. The hooking apparatus may physically damage those portions of the automobile which it contacts. Towing a car in a conformation which allows the wheels to turn without power being applied may result in transmission damage.
One attempt at overcoming these problems was the slide-back tray automobile transporter. Conventional slide-backs, however, are mounted on flat-bed trucks. Because of tractive and load carrying requirements, such trucks are necessarily supported by large diameter wheels and tires. This results in a high bed position. The tray itself is hydraulically extended backwards and downwards from the truck. The high bed results in a steep angle, making it difficult to load the vehicle. Additionally, such trucks have the bed positioned directly over the rear axle. The transported vehicle is secured by chains attached to its front and rear, and to the truck bed. When under way, road shocks tend to be applied upwards at the point of the rear axle. These road shocks result in bouncing or "floating" of the transported vehicle during movement. Because the transported car is restrained at either end, the bouncing or floating results in a bending moment being applied to the car, as on a fulcrum. This can bend or damage the vehicle's frame and often results in misalignment of doors. A further disadvantage of this type of vehicle is that the controls for the loading winch and tray are typically located at the side of the vehicle. In situations where a transporter is responding to an accident, it is common that the disabled vehicle be removed from one lane of a multi-lane road, or from a shoulder. In either case, other automobiles are generally using the adjacent lanes. Such side controls of the prior art expose the operator of such equipment to danger from this adjacent traffic.
Several additional disadvantages reside in the prior art apparatus. The conventional slide-back transporters are unitary vehicles. Thus, should failure occur in either the tray system, for example in the hydraulics, or in the truck itself, the entire apparatus is disabled. The unitary tray transporters cannot be driven with the tray in the down position. This hinders or prevents loading of an auto in situations where, due to terrain conditions, the auto is located at an angle relative to the tray. Thus, the unitary transporter is limited in its ability to maneuver, and thus to extricate vehicles from tight situations.
None of the prior art equipment is designed to minimize damage to the transporter and the disabled vehicle in the event of a collision or accident. In the case of the unitary transporter, damage to one portion of the vehicle may render the entire apparatus useless.
None of the prior art have solved the problems of eliminating towing-related damage to the disabled vehicle and providing a cost-effective apparatus to remove and transport automobiles.